Introduction to Areas of Triangles and Parallelograms

Introduction

The area represents the amount of planar surface being covered by a closed geometric figure.
 

Areas of closed figures

Figures on the Same Base and Between the Same Parallels

Two figures are said to be on the same base and between the same parallels if:
a) They have a common side.
b) The sides parallel to the common base and vertices opposite the common side lie on the
same straight line parallel to the base.

Figures on same base AB and between

same parallels AB and PQ

For example : Parallelogram  ABCD, Rectangle ABEF and Triangles ABP and ABQ

Area of a parallelogram
 Parallelogram

Area of a parallelogram = b × h

Where ‘b is the base and ‘h is the corresponding altitude(Height).

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Area of a triangle

Area of triangle

Area of a triangle =
1
× b × h
2

Where \(‘b’\) is the base and \(‘h’\) is the corresponding altitude.

 

Theorems
Parallelograms on the same Base and Between the same Parallels

Two parallelograms are said to be on the same base and between the same parallels if
a) They have a common side.
b) The sides parallel to the common side lie on the same straight line.
 

Parallelogram ABCD and ABEF

Theorem : Parallelograms that lie on the same base and between the same parallels are equal in
area.
Here, ar(parallelogram ABCD) = ar(parallelogram ABEF )

Triangles on the same Base and between the same Parallels

Two triangles are said to be on the same base and between the same parallels if
a) They have a common side.
b) The vertices opposite the common side lie on a straight line parallel to the common side.
 

Triangles ABC and ABD

Theorem : Triangles that lie on the same base and between the same parallels are equal in area.
Here, ar(ΔABC) = ar(ΔABD)
 

Two triangles having the same base & equal areas

If two triangles have the same base and are equal in area, then, their corresponding altitudes
are equal.

-If two triangles have equal bases and are equal in area, then their corresponding altitudes are
equal.
A Parallelogram and a triangle between the same parallels

A triangle and a parallelogarm are said to be on the same base and between the same parallels
if
a) They have a common side.
b) The vertices opposite the common side lie on a straight line parallel to the common side.

A triangle ABC and

a parallelogram ABDE

Theorem : If a triangle and a parallelogram are on the same base and between the same
parallels, then the area of the triangle is equal to half the area of the parallelogram.
Here ar(ΔABC) = ar(parallelogarm ABDE)
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